When my father-in-law, a merchant seaman, worked off the coast of Louisiana, he often gifted us with huge sacks of fresh oysters. Some we shucked on the spot; an assortment would be grilled, roasted or fried. Of course, a heap of them ended up in gumbo. And then there were those that we savored in Oysters Rockefeller, one of my all-time favorites that I learned to make while attending a cooking class in New Orleans.
Oh my goodness, what I would give for another sack of those beauties. Fortunately, we have access to a few good markets where oysters can be obtained fairly regularly. When the price is right, I take advantage of them.
According to legend, Oysters Rockefeller, quite a rich dish, was named after industrialist John D. Rockefeller, who at the time the dish was created was the richest man in America. It was created by one of the owner’s of Antoine’s Restaurant, Jules Alciatore. Supposedly, that particular recipe remains a family secret to this day. Alton Brown of The Food Network, has even said that Alciatore took the original recipe with him to his grave. And, supposedly, that original recipe did not contain spinach like the one I adapted to suit our tastes.
My theory is that it’s the spinach that turns this intensely rich, lip-smacking dish into one that definitely falls into the “healthy” category. You agree, don’t you?
What’s your favorite oyster dish?
- 3 dozen oysters
- 1 box frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry, reserving the liquid
- 6 ounces unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup finely chopped celery
- 2 bunches green onions, finely chopped
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon Tabasco
- 2Ta blespoons Worcestershire
- 1/4 cup Pernod or Herbsaint
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1/4 cup minced flat-leaf parsley
- 3/4 - 1 cup plain or Italian bread crumbs
- Rock Salt
- Lemon slices, optional
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the celery, green onions and garlic; cook, stirring until softened, about 3 minutes.
- Add in the reserved spinach water and bring to a boil; cook for about 1 minute.
- Add the chopped spinach, Tabasco, Worcestershire, liqueur, salt and pepper; simmer, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is reduced slightly, about 10 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley and bread crumbs.
- Cool completely.
- Whip the sauce with a whisk prior to using to top the oysters.
- Shuck the oysters and drain, reserving the deeper shell for baking.
- Rinse the shells thoroughly.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Place a 1/2-inch thick layer of rock salt on a large, rimmed baking sheet.
- Place an oyster in each shell and top with 2-3 Tablespoons of the sauce evenly to completely cover the oyster.
- Set the oysters on top of the rock salt in the rimmed baking dish.
- Bake until the topping is slightly browned and the oysters begin to curl at the edges, approximately 15-20 minutes.
- Watch carefully to avoid burning. Serve immediately.
- The sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated. Use any leftover sauce to top crostini garnishing; brown and top with chopped fresh tomatoes.
